Dogs are the best pet ever! Owning a dog brings a great deal of love and affection into your life. It’s advisable that you learn as much as possible about dog care before getting a dog so that you and your new best friend can have an excellent experience. To become a truly responsible master to your dog, take a look at the savvy advice presented below.
Getting a dog is going to cost you some money. The costs associated with general and medical care along with high-quality food can be upwards of a thousand per year. Getting emergency care from the vet is costly, so you may need to take a look at health insurance for your pet.
Hugs are good, but kisses should be avoided. While getting kisses from your dog may seem cute, your dog’s mouth is extremely dirty. Dogs dig in trash cans, drink from toilet bowls and sniff and lick various body parts on themselves and other dogs. It is not true that a dog has a cleaner mouth than a person. Definitely do not believe that!
It is fine to hug your dog, but avoid those wet kisses. Kisses seem nice, but dogs have very dirty mouths. He probably doesn’t mind eating dirt, enjoys drinking water from the toilet if he can get at it, and tries in vain to clean himself with his tongue. Many people believe that the human mouth has more germs than that of a dog – this isn’t true. This is not the truth!
Be sure your dog is neutered or spayed. This reduces the chances of cancer and helps keep the stray animal population down. Also, dogs that get fixed won’t feel the need to wander away so that may mean that they won’t get into accidents like getting hit by a vehicle.
Take some time to become familiar with your canine’s non-verbal language. If you notice your dog is hesitant to meet a particular person or dog, don’t force it. This can lead to a bad ending for your dog, the other pooch or the other person. You need to keep your eyes open for these signs.
When vacationing with your dog, use the camera on your phone to snap a quick picture. This way, if you find out that your dog went missing along the way, you will have a recent picture that you can show to people when you go out to look for you pet.
Anti-flea products are dangerous. Quite a few of them use ingredients that are very unsafe for kids, including an ingredient that has been linked to cancer. Ask your vet for recommendations instead, and keep children away while you’re applying flea treatments.
Be sure to show your dog lots of praise and love when they do something good. This will show that you appreciate what your dog is doing. He’ll learn that praise will come when he is good, too.
If your dog needs to be outside during cold months, buy him a house or build him one. If his feet are wet, extreme temperatures can be stressful and bad for his health. Keep your dog safe from precipitation and winds by providing him with a place that is spacious, with a dry floor.
Speak with your vet about the amount of food you should be feeding your dog each day. While some individuals give their dogs food by following the package, sometimes these guidelines are inappropriate for your dog. Check with you vet to find out about the feeding guidelines for your particular dog.
Avoid trying to force things into your dog. If you’re trying to get your dog to eat a new treat and it’s not showing any interest, don’t force them to eat it. Not all dogs like the same things.
Try not to force your dog to do new things. If your dog doesn’t like a particular treat, don’t make him eat it. Learn what he likes and what he doesn’t.
When you are getting dog food for your pet, don’t try to save money and get whatever is cheapest. After a while it’s good for the dog if it has been eating nutritious and high quality food. While this could mean that you’re going to have to pay more money, you can know that you’re doing the best for your dog to keep it healthy.
Keep the nails on your dog trimmed. Once they get to a length where they are curling under, this is likely to cause your dog some pain. Simply purchase a pair of clippers from the store. If you don’t feel comfortable trimming them yourself, a groomer can do it for little money.
Take your new dog to the vet. As soon as your dog is brought to your home you should get an appointment scheduled with the vet. Your vet can make health recommendations, make sure that vaccinations are up to date and help with maintenance items like flea care and proper diet. Talk with a vet about your dog being spayed or neutered. There are lots of homeless dogs and you don’t want to make the problem worse.
If you’re adopting a dog through a local shelter, try scheduling a vet appointment right away. Animals from shelters sometimes have viruses or might have already been sick when taken in by the shelter. Make sure the new puppy gets their required shots before going home.
If your vet prescribes medication, always carefully follow the provided instructions. Your dog may hate wearing a cone, however it is prescribed for good reason. When a vet makes a recommendation, it is for the safety and health of your dog; if you ignore them, that can lead to trouble.
Put a leash on your dog at all times when walking him. He should stay by your side, not in front of or behind you, and respond to the command “heel”. This ensures his safety and will make going for walks more enjoyable for you. Not having to hold the leash tightly will make going for walks easier.
It is important that your dog is equipped with some kind of ID. A common method to make sure your lost dog is returned is to have them wear a breakaway collar with an identification tag. The tag should include your name and contact information as well as the name of your dog. A micro-chip can also be installed on your dog.
If your veterinarian prescribes medication or special care for your pet, make sure you follow their instructions to the letter. Dogs may resist wearing cones, but they are there for good reason. Your vet will recommend things that are good for the health of your dog, so make sure that you follow his advice.
When it comes to training your dog, you should never have several people in charge. Folks all do things differently, and it is important not to confuse the animal. Have one person in charge of their training and let the others reinforce what they’ve learned by respecting their methods and using the same rules.
Dogs can get a cut on their foot if they step on glass or debris. If you notice a small cut on your dog, use antiseptic to wash it, and then put a bandage around it. If the cut is deep, check with your vet.
Make sure to keep all of your dog’s annual check-up appointments. A good vet will be able to easily spot problems with your dog way before you actually see something. By having a physical each year, you can avoid unnecessary expenses later on and your dog will not suffer.
Schedule appointments with the vet regularly. Your vet will give your dog an annual exam with any vaccines that your dog might need. Puppies have to go to the vet more often than older dogs. You need to go to the vet as soon as your dog seems sick or hurt.
Choose the food your dog eats very carefully. There are many to choose from, so focus on those that are for your dog’s age and size. Ask your vet for advice.
If your puppy has an accident, take the time to clean thoroughly. Start with a professional quality cleaner, and follow that up with an odor remover you know will work. If your dog can still smell the spot he has marked, he will be likely to mark it again.
When you are nibbling on a snack, you might be tempted to let your dog have a taste. This is okay with certain foods, but some things are very bad for a dog. Chocolate and other highly caffeinated treats, as well as grapes, are examples of poor treat choices that shouldn’t be shared with your pet. Such foods tend to harm the health of dogs.
When the weather outdoors become hotter, you need to search for ticks and fleas on your dog each day. A flea comb can help you remove fleas that you see. There are many products out there that can help you control your dog’s ticks and fleas. Talk to your vet if you are not sure which products should be used.
Just because you have an outside dog, it doesn’t mean he doesn’t require the same attention as a dog that’s inside. The dog could get bad habits still such as chewing, digging, or even barking if you don’t pay attention to it. The result might even be an aggressive pet. Give your pet a lot of love and play with it too so that it’s happy.
In summary, dogs are good for the soul. In order to have the greatest relationship possible, you need to spend some time learning. Reading this article was a great first step, giving you tons of tips. Use them and any other tips you read to reap the benefits of being a dog owner.
Develop some basic guidelines for your pet and stick to them. When some people own dogs they give them extra treats and allow them to misbehave. This is particularly the case when the dog is very cute! But, if you stay firm, you can avoid accidents. For example, you might not care that your dog begs for food from time to time, but eventually that dog will think it can just jump on the table and start eating whatever is on it.